Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by Sephiroth:

Props to mitchfor3 for this bottle. Pours a murky dark brown, slight carbonation. Lots of booze in the nose, sherry, figs, and dates as well.

Tastes pretty sweet, the brandy barrel aging is quite apparent. It's tough to dig beneath the brandy, but there is definitely a barleywine struggling to escape. Complex malt, even some hops can found in this beer. Incredibly long finish. There is the slightest hint of chocolate. Mouthfeel is thick and syrupy, drinkability is decent. I will save my other bottle for a while, this could use some time.

Appearance: Clouded deep amber brown. Burnt reddish hues. Tepid. Bubbleless. Winelike. No head. Nearly no bubbles. Not particularly pretty, though not off for a beer of this mass nor style.

Aroma: Boozy? Yes... Take some brandy and dump it upon blackberries, cantaloupe, tangerines, strawberries, oak chips, dark chocolate chips, and sweet cakes and you have an idea. The booze is more pronounced and more oaky then brandy I am used to. This is more bourbony.

Taste: Bigger than the nose with each fruit, chocolate, and sweet malt component. Very boozy but not offensive. But...unlike bourbon, each individual character trait of the beer shines through.

Mouthfeel: Very sweet. Extremely sweet. 6oz is a good size. As it warms it becomes problematic and disturbing in strength and sweetness. My stomach begins to reject this as poison.

Drinkability: Very low. Cloying really. I couldn't drink more than 6 oz and really only want 2 at a time, as if this were an actual spirit. Still, a very cool beer indeed.

This poured to a heavy looking dark brown with just a thin layer of head. It's not leaving any lace behind.

Dark fruits join with brandy in the smell for a nice effect. The taste is also very good, with heavy malts leading the way for medium amounts of brandy in the finish. The mouthfeel is full while drinkability is good for the big alcohol content.

Originally reviewed on May 29, 2006. 6 Oz. Bottle. Intoxicating rich aroma flows forth with integrity and suave currents of candied apples, plums, pears, stewed figs drizzled with pomegranate syrup, lucious rose blossom, shavings of Valhrona and heavy viscous port sugars, dripping with caramlized brown sugars, praline, scotch whiskey, charred oak tannins and fragrant floral orange rinds. Seductive, silky, milky, sweet and wafting. Can an aroma get much better? The pour is a maelstrom of the deepest murky browns, as in the pitch of a mulling apple cider. On the surface, curls of finely hewn white oak sea foams wrap around each other and lace the glass. Flavor is intense, no other way to put it. At first the mouth-filling rich creaminess of puddings, pies, creme brulees topped with heated raspberry sauces and aching wheat. This is a four movement beer, which is unprecedented in my experience. Second, I latch on to a sweeping tartness of wild fruits, passionfruit seeds, papaya husk, cranberry skins and the flesh of a thousand tawny grapefruits. It singes the mouth with biting acidity, awakening one for the following pleasures. Thirdly, an almost too harsh alcohol, keeping the beer from achieving perfection in the category. But the alcohol plays well, with impressive stoic character, ferrying rafts of scrupmtous and fulfilling tannins, woody notes and balancing dryness. Here, the more delecate of the fruits prance in fields of ergot and honeysuckle. Life is fragrant and sweet as the dripping morning dew filled with the longing pine musk and fresh moroccan figs, black as night, with curried aged lemons and coriander on the plate, concealing the overtly grainy presentation. A shot of mid-level cognac is poured and fresh green peppercorns are dredged into a tenderloin. Finally, a rushing crescendo of harmonizing flavors and facets. Here and there dance the jitterbugging hop cones, light and tender with alpha acids gentle and caressing, marrying the saccharin nature of grain to aromatic. The parchness balances, the fruity floral resin alights into the evenings breeze with exquisite symphony. Finally, adding a sheer exultation of glory is the dates, figs, plums, currants and candied everything in one fell swoop, holding on until the others wont let go. In the end, a triumphant smack of grapefruit flesh and date husk, with a wistful eye of raisin tears. Pass sweetly and gracefully oer mine tongue, thoust true ambrosia.

This was a 6oz silkscreen bottle with writing on the side telling me how this 14.7% brew has been aging since December 2003 in oak brandy barrel s and that this was to never happen again. Wow what an amazing nose! I feel like a dog smelling a barley wine picking up tons of scents - alcohol, raisins, citrus, berries, and sweet chocolate. Poured dark brown with a creamy head like a nitro beer. Aging has cut the hop bitterness and allowed a well-balanced but mostly malty and sweet BW to emerge in a bigger than expected way. The body is so light and creamy  not what you would expect given the massive alcohol and malt assault. I would d give this beer at least another year to try again. While some may complain about the price, it is worth a try for fans of big bold beers that push the limits. $1 per oz. @Ledgers.

Thanks to hopdog for this Brandy Barrel version Appears a dark, hazy brown with a small off white head that fades out into a small collar.Smell is of huge peanut blasted chocolate, yeasty, brown sugar, and caramel.Taste is of the same yummy aromas that mixes beautifully. This is a great barleywine.Mouthfeel has nice aftertastes of nutty, cocoa, black grapes with near perfect balance.

Dark brown color, but held up to the light barleywine glistens with a definite garnet hue. No head, almost no lace. Just a fine equator of white around the circumference of the glass.

Alcoholic nose (not unlike Ted Kennedy) that is very deep and rich. Marinated cherries and dates. Vanilla and port-soaked raisins. Huge malty aromas abound with oak and brandy thrown in.
Now for the taste. Fruity and just a bit sour. Almost citrusy. I'm having trouble narrowing down all of the tastes flowing around my tastebuds. Can definitely taste the brandy, oak, beautiful maltiness, liquid fruitcake. Yeah, that kinda sums it up. Kirsh, wild honey, I keep tasting so many things. Very complex. Drinks like a aged port. Not much in the hops department, but after 4 years and being on Brandy, I wasn't expecting much, if any, hoppiness.
This beer coats the tongue, roof of mouth and throat. Very full body.
Extremly drinkable, dangerously so at 14.7.
Easily the fruitiest barleywine I've ever had. Nice taste of alcohol on the tongue long after swallowing.
I think we need more brandy aged barleywines in the world.

Poured in a Rapscallion glass, poured with a minimal filmy head over the cloudy medium brown brew. What little head there was is quickly gone, with a few bubbles left around the rim of the glass. Aroma is peaty malts with alcohol warmth. Taste is an incredible balance of fruit and sweetness in the battle of the malts. Mouthfeel is very nice, and even as high as the abv is, I'd find myself wanting to enjoy this one again.

Poured a dark and cloudy brown color with a small sized off white head. Mmmm, where to start on this aroma. Got something different with every whiff. Aromas of caramel, vanilla, some wood, brandy, brown sugar, dark fruits, whisky, nuts, and smoke. I could smell this one all day. Tastes of stronger brandy, dark cherries, nuts and brown sugar. Alcohol content well hidden.

A: The pour is a flat, muddy dark brown color with no head at all, which isn't surprising.

S: While this is most certainly oxidized, the beer is not any worse off for it. A wonderful chocolate aroma that goes nicely with the brandy, oak, and vanilla notes. A nice sweet caramel and toffee aroma is present as well.

T: The flavor is not quite as good as the nose, but still good. A fair amount of chocolate and vanilla with a more noticeable brandy presence, which is surprising given the age of this beer. The base barleywine still comes through with the caramel sweetness.

M: The body is smooth and full bodied, and has a nice texture to it despite the lack of carbonation.

D: The beer was maybe a touch heavy on the brandy, but still absolutely delicious. It's too bad I probably won't get another chance to try this one.

On tap at the Toronado barley wine fest. Dang, this is one thick beer. Barely manages to come up with a few bubbles for a measly head, but the look of the body is downright punishing. Deep dark gold/brown/copper. Sticky and viscous. Hot alcohol with a big whiskey notes that cuts through the middle. If there ever was a beer to put hair on your chest, this, my friends, is the definition. Smoky, phenolic, bitter, sweet, all rolled into one big monster. Amazing complexity, and all the flavors work in harmony...there's just so many of them and seemingly so little water. This one's a very slow sipper, even for big beer fans. Thick, hot, and sticky, making for one monster ale that comes off more like a port. A concentrated fruitcake. Highly recommended! Cheers!

color- dark brown/chestnut, pretty brandy-like color and texture toward the end of the glass

clarity- opaque but it pours clear with little to no sediment at the end of the pour

smell- barnyard, leather, chocolate, cherries, cinnamon

body- syrupy, smooth, a very slight bitter finish

appearance- dark, flat, no lace

overall impression- deep sweetness, after dinner drink, alcohol has fallen off but still quite enjoyable four years after the release date

notes- placed in a brandy oak barrel since december 2003. 6oz format. name of beer is drake's barley wine brandy barrel which does not match the name of the beer on the b.a. website. this review is for a 2005 vintage

This is more reminiscent of a muddied thick water than a beer. Viscous brick brown, syrupy, hints of ruby, and nearly opaque. The kind of beer I love:)

Nose is thick with toffee malt. Little alcohol is noticeable also. Fig, and roasted pears are also present, brandy is detectable but very well integrated. A floral hop with a pine backing also.

Wow. Brandy grapes shine through on the taste. Nicely hopped finish as well which adds too this beer unlike many other American Barley wines that seem too add too much hop that doesn't integrate as well. Alcohol is big and leaves a nice burn in the throat and chest so you don't forget to drink another sip. Dried and fresh figs of many varieties dominate the taste, pine nut, mollasses, brown sugar and maple round things out. Mouth is big yet the high alcohol seems too thin out the finish. If this were slightly sweeter it would have been a 5 for taste and drinkability for me. However the bone dry finish, which is still enticing scores slightly less. As well the alcohol could have integrated slightly better.

Presentation: ...as with the earlier Jolly Rodger, the gold foil adds a very distinctive look to this offering and implies that the demure 6 ounce green glass dimpled based bottle is something special. It is. For this too is another one of the Drakes Barrel Aged Series brews. The 6 fluid ounce green glass bottle is a demure version of the classic 750ml flask, right down to the dimpled base. The gold foil hides a very colorful Drakes crown cap. Screen printed with a colorful yellow, blue and white Drakes logo bottle, it looks great. To the left additional text sheds some more light onto this one Hand Crafted Drakes Barrel Aged Series, to the right yet more clues Limited Release Barley Wine Brandy Barrel. Listed at a massive 14.7% Alc/Vol. This is a one-off brew based on the regular Barley Wine and then Barrel-Aged in a Brandy Oak Barrel for some 18+ months.

The labels blurb states; Simply put this barley wine is the strongest beer we have ever brewed. At 14.70% alc/vol with a starting gravity of 26 plato Drakes barley wine has been big since birth. Crisp malts give this beer a burnt red color and deep rich sweetness. Placed in a brandy oak barrel since Dec. 2003 it has been aging and waiting for you to enjoy as you would any fine after dinner beverage. This is a very limited release and won't be repeated.

Appearance: Very dark brown body that is turbid when held to the light and exhibits a ruby tinge. Soft light brown head forms around the pour but quickly breaks to reveal a broken head that forms a very tight single bubbled halo head. Gentle swirls release the dissolved conditioning and a mildly audible fizz. Majestic appearance despite its broken head; slowly tilted the running alcohol clings to the glass walls like a fine Single Malt.

Nose: Definitely a show stopper!!! The nose is fucking gorgeous. It has it all. Alcohol soaked Oak, Sweet Malts, Brandy, Dark Fruits, Bourbon, Chocolate, Toffee, Belgian Waffles, OK I made that last but it but it really is all here ..mooohohohoooorish ..I just didnt want to drink this because I was so happy just sniffing its volatile organic compounds. Aged to perfection and well rounded. Swirled in the glass the nose is luscious and leaps right out of the tulip, treat this like a Brandy and you will not be disappointed.

Taste: It is an extension and expansion of the nose, so I will not repeat that, but it runs in a parallel universe of sorts. ***The Brandy Barrel is the stroke of genius here*** The fad for Bourbon barrels is so often over-played and those ham-fisted infused flavors soon outstrip the gentle traits of any beer if over played. I get the Brandy in this, but more importantly I also get the Barleywine, I get both, and they are perfectly balanced in a Utopian synergy. This really is very good. Warming fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: Exceptionally smooth, rich, warming and incredibly palatable. This is a seriously refined brew. Awesome presence, big on the tongue thanks to the immensely powerful flavors yet oh-so gentle on the cheeks thanks mainly in part to the Brandy Oak aging and fine carbonation. Just perfect!

Drinkability: It is so, so, so, so fucking sad that I only had 6 ounces of this; it looked a little small in volume in my Duvel Glass when the whole bottle was emptied. All gone. Despite the near 15 clicks on this one I could have probably done a 22oz Bomber of it no problemo. Fantastic stuff.

Overall: Cost me just under $7 for the bottle, but if you come across one of these little 6oz Beauties, my suggestion would be to nab a pocket full. Incredibly impressive. Brandy Oak Barrel-Aged Barley Wine .in the words of Mike Myers Yearrh Baibeee, and Drakes say that they will not repeat this? Shite!!! Youll find me in the Gas Oven with the Xmas Turkey if you need me.

Presentation- 6oz sized nip bottle, bottled in either late '04 or early '05. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Brown burnt caramel colored pour. On a very hard pour, produces a decent 1/4 inch head with a lasting light rim and some pretty hearty lace patches and streaks for a almost 15% beer.

Smell- Starts out extremely pungent (fills the room with it's scent) and quickly fades into a bury-your-nose-in-your-glass-to-get-aroma nose.Lots of vanilla, a good amount of roasted sweet caramel, mild woody notes and some grapefruit hops. Only drawback is the fading of scent.

Taste- Vanilla is prominent. Oak barrel flavor combines with a deep caramel flavor. Not really catching a lot of bourbon taste, but enough to round it out with the flavors that accompany it. Light butterscotch notes, minor hops and a very light sour flavor after the swallow.

Mouthfeel- Mildly thick and lightly viscous. Flavor lasts a bit in the aftertaste, but not as long as optimal. Weird, but interesting sour aftertaste. Sugary and coating. Carbonation is low, but active. Certainly doesn't feel like almost 15%

Drinkability- Had all the makings of a damn good beer. Just some nip picking here and there. Quality aged brew worth praise. Not worth the $15 for a bottle I saw it at a month ago though. About half that is right.

Served into a snifter glass poured from a 6 ounce bottle at Hot Shotz (many thanks Hans).

Appearance: A dark maroon, not shiny like a wine, real dark. Almost no head or lacing.

Smell: Very mild smell. I expect some more character from a barrel aged barleywine.

Taste: Mellow. Very drinkable for a 14.5 abv beer. Not as sweet as I was expecting, which is a good thing. The barrel flavor is the most pronounced flavor, and I found it to be quite subtle. If you didn't tell me what I was drinking, I'd be hard pressed to tell you it was barrel aged at all.

Mouthfeel: A loose, but slightly sticky feeling. Not as sticky as most barleywines, but very satisfactory.

Drinkability. A++. Way more drinkable than most barleywines, which is unfortunate given that it only came in a six ounce container.

Overall, I'd only recommend this to beer geeks. Interesting only for how subdued it was compared to other barleywines.

Unfreakin believable! I guess Im one of the few lucky bastards to partake of this Jolly treasure!

Forked up on the first 3oz, as it was at 45 degrees. It still rated a total 4.8 at that time. BUT, then, second 3oz was at the 55 degrees as suggested. And brother, I really dont know how this could be any better at each of the categories.

Pure molasses (watch for this to pop up a few times) black with mahogany oak edges. Small tan head, but this things too powerful to produce head  its almost brandy beer. Aged since December 2003.

The malt whiskey, molasses, sugar cane drift up the nose and entice. And then the taste, please do not awaken me, I have landed on brew cloud nine. Deeep burnt toast coated with molasses, couple raisins, cherry, sugar cane, and a mellow bourbon base.

NEVER had one so rich, robust, and unnoticeably alcohol strong  the hour on the deck with this one will live engrained indelibly forever upon my mind.

Lou91 is to blame for hooking me up with this and forever ruining any new barley wines! ;)

Pours with a wispy, amber tan colored head that sits atop a hazy dark reddish amber colored beer. The aroma is rich and malty with definite hops, which is all apparent as I pour this beer. Rich notes of slight oxidation combine with the rich maltiness. Fruity notes of raisins and a hint of cherries round out the malt notes. There is also a touch of some funky cheese like note here in the nose, as well as a hint of woody notes. Towards the end a hit of smooth alcohol becomes noticeable.

The beer is lightly carbonated, and a bit tart as well as lightly sweet. Quite rich and malty, definitely seems to hit the umami flavor part of the tongue quite well. This has just about the perfect level of woody barrel character; light, yet noticeable, without being distracting. The woody notes are lightly tannic, a hint of spicy wood flavors in the finish. The tannins and spicy woody notes really linger on in the finish, but still not in an overwhelming way. This beer strikes a really nice balance between all of its flavors. I can't really say that any of them dominate the flavor profile, which is certainly a good thing. The whole of this beer is quite rich and satisfying though.

The malt character is quite nice, yet not cloying, with notes of toasted malt, ample notes of toffee, and caramelized notes that just add to the richness of this brew. This beer drinks much smoother than the 14+% alcohol; the size of this ~7oz bottle is actually too small, I definitely would have like 12 oz of this brew, which I was not expecting from a brew of this strength.

This was the Brandy Barrel Aged Series 3, thanks to unclejedi for the trade. Beautiful light brown with a slight off white head floating thinly on top. Smells dark and malty, alcohol comes through nicely. The taste is not near as sweet as I expected, dark and caramely. The brandy comes through strong as it warms and the mouthfeel is thick and rich. Pretty expensive at $6.99 per bottle, guess the trade made it easier to take the hit to the wallet. Split this with a buddy so only got 3oz of it but it is a nice sipper.

Brandy barrel aged version. 6 ounce bottle. Lovely color, with a nice foam. An amazing amount of complexity here, with so many well extracted fruit flavors from the barrel. A large, enjoyable body with bountiful aromas as well. A tremendous brew. Thanks Drakes.

Thanks to lou91 for this once in a lifetime beer: Roll Out the Barrel BIF '07-'08.

6 oz. bottle poured into a snifter allowed to warm up before sampling.

Pours a dark and murky brown with no head and minimal bubbles. Some clear legging on the sides of the glass but other than that, nothing. Very full nose consists of musty oak, cherries, fig, thick molasses, brandy, caramel, raisins, and some booze. Smell reminds me a lot of HotD Doggie Claws. Caramel vanilla coffee flavors emerge at first with a ton of dark fruits that follow. Some white grape sweetness with an interesting earthy hop taste towards the end. The brandy flavor is definitely there, but very enjoyable. Aftertaste is woody and dry with hints of apple cider. Slick feel that coats the mouth with a nice warming effect that is noticable throughout the body. Wow, scary how easy this goes down at room temperature. I haven't had too many "old" beers, but this one says it was brewed in 2003. Funny thing is, I just received a five year old imperial stout that's in the fridge waiting for me (thanks warriorsoul). It'll be a good weekend with good beer and good friends :)

6 oz bottle from batch 1. This is the 3rd beer in a month to make my top 10 (of 1100). The other 2 being the new Angels Share and Black Albert. It was served only a couple degrees below room temp.

Poured a deep dark brown, pretty hazy (partially due to age). No head/retention/lace. Color was nice but it could use a little CO2.

Smell was of oak, scotch, aged american barleywine, and alcohol. The inense malt sweetness was noticeable through the alcohol and the oak. A touch of alcohol noticeable on the nose.

The taste was probably the best I've had. I had it warm and the alcohol was slightly noticeable but the sweet aged malt and oak were so wonderfully matched that the abv just added a needed bitterness. It wasn't until I got half way through my glass that I noticed the abv written on the bottle. No hops left in this one but there was a spiciness from the oak, almost like it was a fresh barrel.

Thanks go out to cmaruschak for the chance to sample this gem. I really can't expand on what the LongBeachBum has to say about the label and the description of the bottle...so I won't.

Appearance: A dense chocolate colored pour with a thin and wispy off-white head. A few carbonation streams noted on the edging.

Aroma: Deep carmel, dark fruits, sweet molasses and just a hint of oak and brandy in the background. A definite warming alcohol presence noted.

Taste: Carmel, vanilla, chocolate, just a hint of alcohol and all amazingly blended without any one thing overpowering the other. The chocolate keeps asserting itself with brandy and raisin notes as the palate becomes saturated with this nectar.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and slick. Undercarbonated and appropriate given the style and the unique slant on the style.

Drinkability: Immensely enjoyable. Careful with this velvet hammer. It should be savored and respected. World-class for me.